Increase in GST means less available for community

Increase in GST means less available for community

The Governments decision to increase GST to 15% will mean there is less money available to community groups from the proceeds of gambling. The Governments share of the gambling pie will now be bigger than any other share the Chairman of the Community Gaming Association, John Burke, said today.

In addition to GST the Government already takes 20% of net revenue as a Gaming Duty, more than 1.5% as a Problem Gambling Levy and about another 1%-2% as fees for monitoring, licensing and compliance activities by the Department of Internal Affairs.

The Class 4 gambling sector has always paid its way. Now the Government intends to take more. The only place this can come from is the share of proceeds which goes back to the community.

The Government could be fair about this by agreeing to a CGA proposal that it review the level at which Gaming Duty is set so the impact on the community is diminished.

This is particularly important at a time when most community groups are already struggling to get funding because of the decline in the economy and the reduction in revenues from gambling on pokies, concluded Mr Burke.

ENDS

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